Anti-semitic flyers in Suburban Maryland

[Anonymous]

Sounds like the work of one crazy person, but still disturbing...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/anti-semitic-flyers-left-on-chevy-chase-driveways/2015/05/27/7e3e0c6a-04be-11e5-a428-c984eb077d4e_story.html?hpid=z2

[jsteele]

I agree that this is disturbing. This sounds very similar to fliers that were previously distributed in parts of DC, including Takoma. In that case, the fliers were rightfully condemned as well.

But, I wonder how the Pam Geller supporters that frequent this forum will react. Isn't this simply an expression of freedom of speech?

[Anonymous]

Please don't take this as support for this ridiculous flyer, but I think there are several ways in which it is more justified than Geller. For one, it promotes an actual, though far-fetched, viewpoint. More important, it is unlikely to promote violence.

Again, let me emphasize that I am very critical of Geller', and saying this is more Justifiable does not say that I think it is justified.

[Anonymous]

Yawn. Most likely another Leftist hate crime hoax.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:I agree that this is disturbing. This sounds very similar to fliers that were previously distributed in parts of DC, including Takoma. In that case, the fliers were rightfully condemned as well.

But, I wonder how the Pam Geller supporters that frequent this forum will react. Isn't this simply an expression of freedom of speech?

Yes, it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't take this as support for this ridiculous flyer, but I think there are several ways in which it is more justified than Geller. For one, it promotes an actual, though far-fetched, viewpoint. More important, it is unlikely to promote violence.

Again, let me emphasize that I am very critical of Geller', and saying this is more Justifiable does not say that I think it is justified.

I'm sorry, far-fetched? I think it goes beyond far-fetched.

It promotes blatant lies. Blatant lies lead to hate. Hate leads to violence.

It is hate speech. Pure and simple.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:I agree that this is disturbing. This sounds very similar to fliers that were previously distributed in parts of DC, including Takoma. In that case, the fliers were rightfully condemned as well.

But, I wonder how the Pam Geller supporters that frequent this forum will react. Isn't this simply an expression of freedom of speech?

I guess you could say I support Geller, so let me be one of the first to say I also support the right of people to print up antisemitic flyers.

If I got this in my driveway, and I live near where this happened and have Jewish ancestry, I might talk about it with friends and family but then I would Recycle it.

Marketplace of Ideas/ cost of living in a free country.

I would rather get a flyer like this every day of the week than live in a country where the government gets to dictate what types of speech are offensive, hateful and therefore forbidden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't take this as support for this ridiculous flyer, but I think there are several ways in which it is more justified than Geller. For one, it promotes an actual, though far-fetched, viewpoint. More important, it is unlikely to promote violence.

Again, let me emphasize that I am very critical of Geller', and saying this is more Justifiable does not say that I think it is justified.

I'm sorry, far-fetched? I think it goes beyond far-fetched.

It promotes blatant lies. Blatant lies lead to hate. Hate leads to violence.

It is hate speech. Pure and simple.

The term hate speech is meaningless. Is the flyer anti-Semitic, prejudiced, offensive, insulting? Yes.

But it is also protected speech in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't take this as support for this ridiculous flyer, but I think there are several ways in which it is more justified than Geller. For one, it promotes an actual, though far-fetched, viewpoint. More important, it is unlikely to promote violence.

Again, let me emphasize that I am very critical of Geller', and saying this is more Justifiable does not say that I think it is justified.

Have you seen Gellar's bus ads?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't take this as support for this ridiculous flyer, but I think there are several ways in which it is more justified than Geller. For one, it promotes an actual, though far-fetched, viewpoint. More important, it is unlikely to promote violence.
Again, let me emphasize that I am very critical of Geller', and saying this is more Justifiable does not say that I think it is justified.

"Remove each and every Jew from state and federal governments and financial organizations" "Jews destroy the US financially": I am not sure what type of actual viewpoint the flyer is promoting (if not the type Nazis and Italian fascists had - people attacked only based on their ethnicity (not just religion, since being atheists or Catholics did not save many people of Jewish ancestry from the gas chambers). you are also wrong that this type of flyers do not promote violence (look at the various white supremacist sites where attacks against Jews are justified as a sort of self defense against alleged actions by "Jews" working to bankrupt the US and its citizen. I don't see it as more justified than Geller at all, just two pieces of junk.

[Anonymous]

Pam Gellar's message: You can't trust moderate Muslims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yawn. Most likely another Leftist hate crime hoax.

It's funny that you think that this is meant to smear conservatives. I guess you didn't get the memo that conservatives love Jews now.

[Anonymous]

These flyers were distributed in Shepherd Park DC today as well. One of our neighbors managed to get photos of the man who distributed them (old, white, crazy-looking), and posted the photos on the neighborhood listserv.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These flyers were distributed in Shepherd Park DC today as well. One of our neighbors managed to get photos of the man who distributed them (old, white, crazy-looking), and posted the photos on the neighborhood listserv.

Thank God he' a lone wolf.

[Anonymous]

""Remove each and every Jew from state and federal governments and financial organizations" "Jews destroy the US financially": I am not sure what type of actual viewpoint the flyer is promoting (if not the type Nazis and Italian fascists had - people attacked only based on their ethnicity (not just religion, since being atheists or Catholics did not save many people of Jewish ancestry from the gas chambers). you are also wrong that this type of flyers do not promote violence (look at the various white supremacist sites where attacks against Jews are justified as a sort of self defense against alleged actions by "Jews" working to bankrupt the US and its citizen). I don't see it as more justified than Geller at all, just two pieces of junk."

It appears to me that someone is not dividing the issue clearly enough. Pamela Geller is pointing out that some Moslems have used violence against what is humorous. She is quite correct in noticing that. Using an approach that needlessly inflames hatred or puts people who are not directly concerned at risk is a foolish error, but not much more.

Anti-Semitism is quite ugly stuff. It is fundamentally wrong. By itself it is inflammatory. It should certainly be noted and discouraged. I am inclined to name and shame those who do such things. I would also note that while it is a central tenet of some forms of Islam, it is very widespread and by no means limited to Moslems.